E3 2008: Valkyria Chronicles Hands-on

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We finally take control of what could be a tremendous RPG hit.

By Ryan Clements

Although I can't make any absolute statements about Valkyria Chronicles, having only played a few missions out of what should be a very vast game, I will say that I'm even more excited about the title than ever before. I had the chance to go hands-on with SEGA's upcoming strategy RPG today and I'm extremely impressed. I think RPG fans should keep this title in mind, especially after the recent exclusivity loss that came from Final Fantasy XIII going cross-platform. This could be the exclusive RPG PS3 owners really love.

I was very pleased to talk with Christopher Kaminski, one of the US producers working on Valkyria Chronicles, during my play session. Kaminski tells me that he's very excited about the project as a whole and (having played through the Japanese version), thinks very highly of the title. I'm inclined to agree thus far. Valkyria Chronicles is a beautiful, watercolor-looking affair that mixes traditional strategy RPGs with free-roaming combat. In other words, imagine playing a game like Final Fantasy Tactics, but the whole grid system has been replaced with a partly real-time third-person shooter. The design is seamless and extremely addictive.

Instead of going over all the basics here, I'll refer you to my previous coverage from just a few months ago. For now, all you need to know is that you control a small battalion of soldiers in a war against a vast and menacing empire, all set in a stunningly realized, fantastical realm.

Before I get into the gameplay details, I'll start off by noting that the version of Valkyria Chronicles I played was an Alpha build but it still looked and ran fantastically. Kaminski explained that an install option is available but not required, which is a welcome addition. I started off the demo by playing through the tutorial level, which already demonstrated quite clearly that this is going to be a highly enjoyable experience.

Each turn of the battle contains two phases: one for you and one for the opposing forces. During your turn, you have a limited number of Command Points to use, which could be thought of as an activation cost for any unit currently on the field. Once you've decided to use a unit from the tactical map screen, you spend a Command Point and the camera drops down into the map which is brilliantly transformed into the actual stage. This effect is quick but magical and shows just some of the creative energy at work in Valkyria Chronicles.

Once you've entered this action phase, you have full control over your unit. Although you can move anywhere you want, each character has an allotted amount of Action Points to spend on movement. Once that gauge runs out, you're stuck where you are. I started the demo by moving a unit up to a barricade behind an unsuspecting soldier. The interface is great and you can easily position yourself and duck behind cover. Hitting R1 will activate the aiming mode, which freezes time and lets you line up your shot. Different units (and different guns) have varying accuracy and scope types. It was pretty neat to carefully set up a headshot and then hit the X button to cause some series damage. Although this isn't a twitch game by any stretch of the imagination, it puts more control in your hands and works really well. Kaminski noted that it adds a sense of urgency to the battles that would otherwise be absent in a traditional grid-based title.

One gameplay mechanic that I was really intrigued by was downed characters. If one of your soldiers loses all his or her hit points, he or she will collapse on the field and require assistance. You have three turns to reach them and revive them, or else they will become unavailable for the remainder of the engagement. This is also the case if the enemy comes upon them first and "captures" them, which also keeps you from using them again. The real danger comes if any of the main story characters are downed during combat. If you can't reach them in time, it's game over.

Valkyria Chronicles is a lot of fun. My play session was highly enjoyable and I found myself even more intrigued when I considered all the leveling, customization and upgrades you can enjoy in terms of the title's more traditional RPG elements. PS3 owners: you should be excited about Valkyria Chronicles. End of story.